Ukraine"s parliament on Thursday approved...
Below follows a brief biography of Azarov.
Mykola Azarov was born December 17, 1947 in Kaluga some 200 km (120 miles) southwest of Moscow.
He graduated from Moscow State University as a geologist and geophysicist in 1971 and then worked at the Tulaugol coal enterprise until 1976.
In 1976-1984 Azarov headed a laboratory at the Moscow Region Design and Research Coal Institute.
In 1984-1995 he was a deputy director and director of Ukraine"s State Research and Design Institute of Mining Geology and Geomechanics.
In 1996-2002 Azarov headed Ukraine"s State Tax Administration.
In 2001 he became the head of the Party of Regions but resigned from the post in less than a year. In 2003 Azarov was elected chairman of the Party of Regions political council.
In 2002-2005 Azarov was a first deputy premier in the government of then premier Viktor Yanukovych.
In late 2004-early 2005 Azarov was acting Ukrainian prime minister.